Loaded rifle, marijuana seized from student’s car in high school parking lot

By WRAL Staff

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    ERWIN, North Carolina (WRAL) — Police officers on Thursday arrested an 18-year-old after seizing a loaded rifle and marijuana from his car, which was parked in the student lot at Triton High School. A school resource officer was investigating a blue Ford Fusion in the parking lot at 215 Maynard Lake Road. The officer looked through the window and was able to see marijuana and a high-capacity drum magazine for a rifle.

The officer called a school administrator, who saw the barrel of a rifle sticking out from under a towel.

Officers seized a loaded Diamondback brand 5.56 caliber rifle, two loaded drum magazines, one standard magazine, various caliber ammunition, marijuana and marijuana paraphernalia from the car.

Octavius Gerrard Purcell, 18, of Coats, was removed from a classroom and charged with possession of a weapon on school grounds and possession of marijuana/drug paraphernalia.

He was being held in the Harnett County Detention Center on a $250,000 secured bond.

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